Topic: What will you grow.................?

[Mrs Ava]

...........to overwinter on your plot to produce crops for the winter table?  So far, all I will have is sprouts, cabbages, leeks and parsnips.  Now I am going to buy some cauli seeds, but what else is there?  Before I spend all of Ava's money, is there anything I really should get to sow now to provide yummy's for the Christmas table?  ;D

[Wicker]

EJ, I know some people turn their noses up at swedes but we love them.  Mashed with butter and black pepper or chunks of turnip/carrot/onion thru stews/mince.  Best of all is a Caithness way called Clapshot which is simply potatoes and turnips (swede) mashed together with butter - especially good with haggis.  I'm not joking haggis - is lovely and we have it regularly with the clapshot of course.

[Mrs Ava]

Ooo Wicker, I lurve Haggis.  Where my lot come from in Devon we have something called Hogs Pudding, which is similar to haggis, but is pork with groats in a skin, kinda like a fat sausage, but oh my.....YUMYUM!  

So when do you sow your swedes for winter picking?  I have some already in the ground and germinated, or do you just leave them in the ground??

[Wicker]

Emma-Jane normally sow direct into ground mid May/early June and they are ready for lifting any time mid Oct (bit early maybe for here but not your area) and they stay in ground to be lifted as and when until Feb/Mar - best when they get frosted tho.  Once or twice for odd reasons have planted into modules and brought on a wee bit until ground was cleared and available - space at a premium for us.

Your hogs pudding sounds good - very good.

[gavin]

Thumbs up for swedes!

And kales, the various winter broccolis?  I've found romanesco to be pretty hardy through winter as well - especially for Christmas.

Salsify and scorzonera?

All best - Gavin

[tim]

Definitely kales - much maligned! And will certainly try swedes - tho' not really a 'garden' crop? = Tim